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10 Nummi - Justin II and Aelia Sophia Theoupolis
| Issuer | Byzantine Empire (Byzantine states) |
|---|---|
| Year | 569-578 |
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| Reference(s) | BCV#383, DOC I#182 |
| Obverse description | Facing enthroned busts of Emperor Justin II (left) and Empress Aelia Sophia (right), both crowned and depicted in imperial robes; Justin II holds a scepter in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left, while Sophia similarly holds imperial regalia. The imperial couple is shown frontally in the rigid hieratic style characteristic of sixth-century Byzantine coinage. A blundered or partially legible Latin legend runs in the field, identifying the rulers as Augusti. The overall design reflects the ceremonial majesty and theological authority associated with the joint reign. |
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| Mintage | ND (569-570) - RY 5 = II/III - ND (570-571) - RY 6 = Ч/I - ND (571-572) - RY 7 = Ч/II or ςΙ - ND (572-573) - RY 8 = Ч/III or ς/ΙI or ςΙI - ND (573-574) - RY 9 = ς/ΙII - ND (574-575) - RY 10 = X - ND (575-576) - RY 11 = X/I - ND (576-577) - RY 12 = X/II - ND (577-578) - RY 13 = X/III - |
| Additional information |
Antioch — renamed Theoupolis ("City of God") following a catastrophic earthquake in 526 — operated as a major mint under Justin II, though the city never fully recovered its pre-disaster scale. The joint portrait coinage featuring Aelia Sophia reflects her genuine political influence; she was instrumental in managing Justin's increasingly severe mental deterioration through the 570s, effectively directing imperial policy during his episodes of incapacity.
The Antioch mint's small module bronze issues from this reign are notably inconsistent in fabric, a product of disrupted metal supply during the ongoing Byzantine-Sassanid conflicts along the eastern frontier.